ICTJ World Report

February 2015

In Focus
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In Three New Short

Documentaries, Colombian
Activists Explain the Need for
Truth
ICTJ releases of three short documentaries about the work of civil
society organizations in Colombia intent on revealing the truth

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about the impact of the country's armed conflict.

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World Report
AFRICA
On 27 February, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court confirmed the Trial
Chambers decision to acquit Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui alleged former leader of the Front des
nationalistes et intgrationnistes (FNI) of charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes
committed in a village of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. Meanwhile, Dominic
Ongwen, a senior leader in the Lords Resistance Army in Uganda is to be tried at the International
Criminal Court. The development ended a dispute between U.S. authorities and Ugandan authorities
who had requested to hand over Mr. Ongwen for trial at the countrys war crimes court division in
Kampala. Since this development, Ongwen has already appeared in the dock of the ICC, where he was
asked to confirm his identity. Uganda has pledged its full cooperation with the case. The United Nations
has urged the Central African Republic to establish an international tribunal with judges who could
objectively investigate and prosecute perpetrators of war crimes that have been widely committed by all
parties to the ongoing conflict in the country. In Cote dIvoire 50 pro-Gbagbo senior officials detained
for active participation in the deadly post-poll crisis were released. MeanwhileKenya has become the
first country to sign up to the establishment of a continental court that will handle crimes against
humanity and other international crimes. Also in Kenya, the ICC has decided to admit the Waki Report
into evidence at the Ruto/Sang case, stating that the report is relevant to establishing the background
of the case. Eugene de Kockcommonly known as Prime Evila convicted leader of death squads
during the apartheid regime, has been granted parole in South Africa. The UN Secretary-General
is launching an independent inquiry into a violent demonstration on January 27, 2015 in Mali in which

at least three protestors were killed. A crucial meeting between the Malian government and the interMalian mediation team was recently held in the country to discuss peace, security and national
reconciliation.
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AMERICAS
Negotiations between the representatives of the government of Colombia and rebel group FARCEPresumed in Havana, as part of an agenda designed to put an end to the conflict in Colombia. The
president of Colombia announced that five military generals will be traveling to Havana to begin talks on
a bilateral ceasefire with FARC rebels. Meanwhile, a commission of 12 Colombian historians who were
appointed by both the government and FARC released a report on the origins of Colombias conflict.
Also in the country, a Medellin court ordered an investigation into the alleged involvement of former
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in a 1998 massacre in El Aro, in which 14 villagers were killed.
In Guatemala, a former Army officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for immigration crimes by
a United States judge for covering up his commanding role in the 1982 Dos Erres Massacre in which
250 men, women and children were killed. Two former intelligence officials in Chile weresentenced for
the murders of two American citizens following the coup led by General Pinochet in 1973. Meanwhile,
Chilean officials will reopen an investigation into the death of Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda to
determine if the poet was poisoned by the military dictatorship more than 40 years ago.
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ASIA
The Recommendation Committee in Nepal put forward a roster of 69 candidates for posts in the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission on Enforced Disappearances (CED) in order to
solicit public opinions on the eligible candidates. The TRC and the CED were set up in Nepal in early
February. However, the victims and civil society community has expressed their serious objections on
the formation of the commissions calling it a politically-controlled process. In late February, Nepal
Supreme Court gave verdict on the writ petitions filed by victims challenging the provisions of the TRC
Act and declared a number of provisions including the one on amnesty unconstitutional. Pope Francis
visited Sri Lanka and urged the country to address the wounds from the civil war. The country
later announced plans to begin an investigation into allegations of human rights violations during the
26-year civil war there. Former Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fronseka has been granted complete
amnesty by new President Maithripala Sirisena, who dropped all charges filed against him by the
former government. The government of Sri Lanka has requested a delay in the release of the UN
Human Rights Council report on abuses during its conflict, asking for more time to set up a judicial
mechanism to deal with any allegations that may result.
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EUROPE
Amnesty International, in a briefing submitted to the United Nations Committee on Enforced
Disappearances, said Serbia has failed to take steps to criminalize or investigate enforced
disappearances during the 1990s wars. Earlier this month, the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia upheld guilty verdicts against five of the men involved in the Srebrenica massacre
in Bosnia. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled that neither Serbia
norCroatia were guilty of committing genocide against one anothers people during the conflict in the
1990sIn Northern Ireland two investigations were ordered by the regions Director of Public
Prosecution to launch inquiries into how evidence including two secret tapes were lost after an incident
in County Armagh in 1982. As described in a comprehensive report about human rights violations and
impunity during the Troubles, the Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice
has found that no member of the British security services has been tried and convicted in connection
with state killings. Also in Northern Ireland, the High Court has granted judicial review into a series of
murders that have been linked to the Glenanne Gang, a loyalist group containing members of the
Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Ulster Defense Regiment. Sweden has charged a former Syrian
rebel who sought asylum in the country with war crimes for allegedly abusing a captive member of
President Assads services.
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MENA
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) continued to hear witness statements from a number of
citizens from Tripoli who reported to having phone numbers connected to the assassins of Rafik Hariri.
Furthermore, the lawyers for the five suspected Hezbollah members on trial in absentia claimed that
simultaneous testimony has no precedent in criminal proceedings at the international level and should
not be allowed. Meanwhile, Judge Ivana Hrdlickova of the Czech Republic has beenelected as the new
President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and Judge Ralph Riachy of Lebanon has been re-elected
as Vice-president. In Egypt, a Cairo appeals court reversed the last standing conviction facing Egypts
former President Hosni Mubarak. Citing procedural problems, Judge Salama Abdel Meguid ordered a
retrial. Israels government watchdog announced that it had opened an investigation into the conduct of
military and political leaders during last summers 50-day war with the militant group Hamas in Gaza.
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Publications

Upcoming Events
March 06, 2015

Pursuing Accountability for Serious Crimes in

Ugandas Courts: Reflections on the Thomas Kwoyelo
Case

The Future of Transitional

Justice: A Roundtable
DiscussionLocation: Stanford,
California.View Details

This paper describes proceedings in Ugandas national courts

against Thomas Kwoyelo, a former mid-level commander of the
Lords Resistance Army, for war crimes and crimes against
humanity. It analyzes the opportunities and challenges for the

June 22 - 27, 2015

prosecution of serious crimes in Uganda and concludes with

recommendations to enhance accountability in the country.

Georg Arnhold Summer

School on Transitional
Justice and
EducationLocation: Braunschwei

View Report

g, GermanyView Details

Confronting the Legacy of Political Violence in

Lebanon: An Agenda for Change

More Events

This document presents wide-ranging recommendations for

political and social reforms in Lebanon developed by a
consortium of Lebanese civil society actors, as part of an ICTJ
project.
View Report

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